Addressing the ball, or the position taken before making the swing, not only means the position of the body and the feet, the bend of the knees and the weight of the body on the legs, but also the way in which the shoulders, the arms, and the elbows are held.

1. The body should bend slightly forward but naturally and without stiffness, the knees bending enough to be "sitting down to the stroke," the feet having a firm hold, and the hips, knees, and ankles having free play.

2. The shoulders should be loosely jointed so that with the swing the left shoulder can swing down as the right shoulder rises and the right shoulder swing down as the left shoulder rises.

3. The right elbow should be held fairly close to the body and the left elbow well out so that the left arm will not touch the body with the backward swing. To get this position easily, address the ball with the shaft not opposite the body but to the left of the left hip.